If nothing else was accomplished with the Buffalo-San Diego game, it’s this: The controversy is over. Both Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie played heroically, both played with a lot of character. They fit their teams — be glad the controversy is over. I don’t think either QB came out on top or looking bad, both did great things. Let’s put the manufactured controversy to rest.

After taking a 24-20 lead with 1:30 to play, thanks to a courageous comeback effort by Johnson, the Bills in order: allowed a 72-yard kickoff return, allowed Chargers quarterback Doug Flutie to score the deciding points on a 13-yard run.

Some reporters tried to convince Rob Johnson that again Flutie somehow had everything go his way again, as seemed to be the case his entire three years in Buffalo. Johnson disagreed, “He didn’t luck into it. He played well. He’s a competitor. He had an opportunity, we had a chance to sack him, and he spun out of it and made a play. The fact that he got down there by a kickoff and a penalty, that happens. It happened to us against Tennessee."

Even Johnson’s quarterback enemy had respect for his former teammate, “Rob played great.” Flutie said, “He made all the plays with his legs and his arms, and put them right back in a position to tie the ball game at the end. He played his ass off, he played great.” Flutie even went so far as to say the Bills took the game over in the second half, “It felt great early, and then they started moving the ball up and down the field. It felt like they had the ball the whole second half, and we were watching.”

‘After sifting through about 1,100 e-mails since last week, I’d say roughly half were written from people who wanted Doug Flutie as the Bills’ quarterback. The other half wanted Flutie, too – anywhere but here.’

‘"You get caught up in the game when you’re out there," Moorman said. "I was angry that they made it through, I heard him say something to me, and so I just stood up and walked off. I didn’t think I should have been called but it happens and you have to move on. Hindsight is 20-20 and it wasn’t the right thing. I’d love to have it back. I’d love to have that moment back and if I would, I could, but I can’t so I won’t. That’s the way it goes."’

…based on total yards per game (330.5). The sortable stats also reveal they are 4th in offensive penalties(50) and 9th in time of possession(31:16). The defense is ranked 21st; 13th against the pass and 25th against the run.

‘"It’s pretty tough," said veteran fullback Larry Centers. "We feel like we had the game won and in our pockets. To let it slip away is especially frustrating. It’s easier when you lose a game by a wide margin than the way we lost it (Sunday). . . . You like to stay away from the shouldas and the couldas and the wouldas, but we had the ball game won and had a lapse in one area, on one play and it cost us."’

‘The Bills are at the point in their growth where indiscretion still looks good on them. Raion Hill’s post-throw jab at Doug Flutie is indefensible if their record is 4-1. At 1-4, it’s a badge of honor.’

San Diego’s Doug Flutie was the winning quarterback Sunday, and played a solid game, but the Bills’ Rob Johnson enjoyed a strong game for the second consecutive week as well. The Johnson-Flutie matchup lived up the hype. Let’s face it — maybe the best thing for both players was getting them separated. Now it’s time to put this Johnson-Flutie talk to rest. Flutie is happy and winning and Johnson is growing every week. It’s best for both players. One thing about this game for the Bills: Owner Ralph Wilson now knows what it’s like to lose five Super Bowls since he propped up this game with that kind of magnitude.

‘The Edgerrin James Watch began in earnest on Monday as the Indianapolis Colts returned to work after a three-day weekend. Will he or won’t he? Will the NFL’s two-time rushing champion be available for Sunday afternoon’s game against AFC East rival Buffalo or will a sprained left knee force him to miss his first game as a pro?’

‘Johnson would hate this comparison, but the laid-back 28-year-old actually played like Flutie, 39, albeit without the magic. When plays fell apart, Johnson took off running for first-down yardage. Where have you seen that before? He led his team to two impressive length-of-the-field drives in the final five minutes of the game. Sound familiar?’

‘Johnson twice was hit in ways that would have knocked a lesser quarterback out of the game. He hopped on one leg to the locker room, got taped up and shot up, and ten minutes later ran back onto the field. Shades of Kelly and his broken collarbone in the Pittsburgh playoff game. He got hit well out of bounds, slammed his head on the turf, and got up wondering what day it was. Yet he finished the TD drive and led the final drive.’

"We got after him early, but he didn’t let that ruin his day. He came out and played tough and made a lot of good throws. Because of him and the receivers they’ve got, it came down to a shootout. After they got back in it, it was hard for both sides I think."

"We’re happy with our situation and I hope they are. His (Johnson’s) last two weeks have been impressive. He started slow. He’s a great talent. He’s an unreal talent. All he needed was experience and a little bitterness to get out of his life. Right now he can’t be bitter at anything."

Johnson had better statistics than Flutie, but threw the interception that could have ended Buffalo’s afternoon and seemingly would deflate the Bills. However, Johnson’s resolve and play showed why the Bills wanted to make him the starter, and he came back to throw a 61-yard strike to Peerless Price to bring Buffalo right back in it.

Take Pompei’s comments for what they are worth…..Of course, Jake Plummer, Drew Bledsoe, Akili Smith or Charlie Batch also could be starting for the Texans next season. Johnson, if exposed by the Bills, would be enticing because Texans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer had success with him as coordinator in Jacksonville and always has held him in high regard…

‘Johnson had to work for every point and almost every yard the Bills got. With Buffalo’s running game stuck in neutral and its offensive line alternately missing blocks and getting caught holding, he had to overcome obstacles emanating from both huddles. Flutie got a huge break late in the third quarter, when he was ruled down at the 1-yard line on Bryce Fisher’s sack, which clearly put both his knees and the ball in the end zone. Referee Tony Corrente’s mysterious decision (how does one possess “forward progress” when tackled while going backward?) kept the Chargers up by three and prevented a huge momentum shift.’

‘"I thought Rob played better than Flutie today," he maintained, adding, "besides the last play that Doug made." Of course, to Flutie fans, that’s like saying the Titanic had a marvelous voyage…except for the iceberg.’

At worst, Rob Johnson battled Doug Flutie to a draw in Sunday’s quarterback derby at Qualcomm Stadium. Unfortunately for Johnson and the rest of the Buffalo Bills, most of the rest of the key plays in San Diego’s 27-24 win were made by men wearing Chargers uniforms. “This is right up there with the Tennessee game — it hurts that much,” Johnson said. “This game was huge for us. We were playing a lot of our old teammates, with Mr. Butler there and his scouting department — it’s Bills West.”

‘Sunday was Conway’s to carry the load. In every department, it was a splendid day for the USC graduate. His team won, while Buffalo’s Rob Johnson —- his quarterback for two years with the Trojans —- had a remarkable individual performance in defeat. "Rob’s a friend of mine," Conway said. "He did a great job. I’m happy for him."’